Power-transmission mechanism for motor-cycles and other vehicles.



G. W. SHERMAN.

POWRR TRANSMISSION MROHANISM ROR MOTOR OYOLRS AND OTHER VRRIOLRS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 14, 1908.

Patented May 25, 1909.

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G. W. SHERMAN. POWER TRANSMISSION .MEGHANISM FOR MOTOR CYCLES AND OTHERVEHICLES. APPLIOATION FILED NV. 14, 1908.

922,634. Patented May 25, 1909.

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G. W. SHERMAN.

POWER TRANSMISSION MECHANISM ECE MOTOR CYCLES JNND OTHER VEHICLES.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV.14, 1908.

vPatellted. 'May 25, 1909.

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GEORGE W. SHERMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

POWER-TRANSMISSION MECHANISM FOR MOTOR-CYCLES AND' OTHER VEHICLES.

Application led November 14, 1908'.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. SHERMAN, a citizen oit' the United States,residing at New York city, (Brooklym) county of Kings, State oi NewYork, have invented new and useful Improvements in Power- TransmissionMechanism for Motor-Cycles and other Vehicles, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to novel mechanism for transmitting power from amotor to the driving wheel of a vehicle, such as a motor cycle. Thismechanism is so constructed that the vehicle can be propelled withvarious speeds and that the driving wheel can be entirelyuncoupled fromthe driving gear, so that the motor may remain in operation while themotor cycle is at rest. Thus a quick start of the cycle may be effectedby means ot' a hand lever which will cause the motor to be coupled tothe driving wheel, so that the cycle is propelled with the speeddesired. In this way any necessity of first starting the cycle by thepedals, or other physical power, for the purpose of lirst setting themotor in operation is entirely obviated.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side view ot' part of amotor cycle provided with my improved power transmission mechanism; Fig.2 an enlarged axial section. through the two-speed clutch, on line 2-2,Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a similar section, showing the parts in a diiierentposition and with some oi the elements omitted; Fig. 4 a cross sectionon line 4,4, Fig. 2; Fig. 5 a similar section on line 5 5, Fig. 2,showing the cup in view, and Fig. 6 a detail of the clutchshoe andadjoining parts.

The numeral 10 designates the hub of the driving wheel 11 of a motorcycle or other vehicle. Hub 10 is rotatably mounted upon a relativelyXed threaded spindle 12, ball bearings 13 being interposed between saidspindle and hub, as usual. Spindle 12 projects axially beyond hub 10 andcarries at its outer end a brace 14 of the cycle-frame, to which it issecured by a nut 15. The outer end of hub 10 is provided with a pair ostepped threaded sections 16 and 17. Hubsection 1G is engaged by thethreaded inner Flange 18 of a hub extension sleeve 19, an accidentaldisengagement of the sleeve from the hub being prevented by a lock-nut20 having a reduced section or neck 21. Into the latter is fitted aperforated cup 22 con- Specfcation of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1909.

Serial No. 462,566.

taining balls 23 that engage the beveled inner end of a clutch-worm 24screwed upon spindle 12 and abutting against brace 14.

Upon sleeve 19 is loosely mounted a gear wheel 25, a bushing 23 beinginterposed between said sleeve and the hub 27 of the wheel. Hub 27 isthreaded as at 23 for the reception of a sprocket wheel or driving gear29, wheel 29 being locked to hub 27 by a suitable nut 30. Sprocket wheel29 is engaged by a chain 31 connecting said wheel to a correspondingsprocket wheel on the pedal axle 32, which is driven :trom the motor,(not shown). Intermediate gear wheel and sprocket wheel 29, there isloosely mounted on hub 27, the inner disk or plate 33 of a gear case A,said disk being provided with an annular brake-flange 34. Opposite loosegear wheel 25 there is mounted upon sleeve 19 a relatively ixed gearwheel or sun gear 35, the hub 36 of which is provided with a pair ofdiametrically 0pposed key grooves 37. Wheel 35, the diameter of whichexceeds that of wheel 25, is prevented from axial displacement uponsleeve 19, by a grooved liber ring 33 interposed between wheels 25 and35, and by a pair of lock-nuts 39, engaging the free end oi sleeve 19.Intermediate sun gear and nuts 39, there is loosely mounted upon hub 36,the outer disk or cover 40 of gear case A, said disk abutting againstflange 34 of disk Disks 33, 40, are held together by a suitable numberof bolts 41 stepped into the disks as at 42 and carrying outer nuts 43.Upon each bolt 41 turn loosely a pair of integral planet wheels 44, 45.lVheel 44 is of larger diameter than wheel 45 and engages loose gearwheel 25, while wheel 45 meshes into sun gear 35. Flange 34 of gear easeA, is embraced by a brake-strap 4G, one end ot which is secured to astay 47 of the cycle-frame, while its other end is by a Asuitableeoupling connected to a bar 48 hereinafter described.

Grooves 37 of hub 36 are engaged by a pair of axially displaceable keysor feathers 49, passing through corresponding -axial slots 50 of sleeve19. Keys 49 are by screws 51 secured to a tubular key-carrier 52slidably mounted upon neck 21 of lock-nut 20. A spring 53, embracingneck 21 and engaging carrier 52, tends to move the latter outward oraway from hub 10. Clutch-worm 24 is engaged by a worm-nut 54 providedwith a radially extending arm 55, to which is pivoted, at 56, a link 57hereinafter described. Between an inner flange 58 of worm-nut 54 andkey-carrier 52, anti-friction balls 59 are interposed.

The free or inner end of each key 49 is beveled to form a wedge 60 whichis adapted to engage the corresponding beveled edges of a pair ofsemi-circular clutch-shoes 61, (Fig. 6). The latter are received withina circumferential inner recess 62 of hub 27, and are held against axialdisplacement by bushing 26 and i'ing 38. It will be seen that whenworm-nut 54 is partially rotated upon worm 24, to shift key-carrier andwedge keys 49 toward clutch-shoes 61, the latter will be spread and thusforced into contact with hub 27. Shoes 61 will thus participate in therotation of wheel 25, which movement is transmitted by keys 49 andsleeve 19, to hub 10, for the purpose hereinafter described.

In order to operate worm-nut 54 and brake-strap 46, a hand lever 63 isloosely neutral or central position, (Fig. 1).

mounted upon pedal axle 32. Lever 63 is provided with aspring-influenced detent 64 adapted to engage corresponding notches 65of a sector 66 secured to a brace 67 of the vehicle-frame. To hand lever63 are pivoted, at 68, 69, the bar 4S and link 57, respectively.

As has already been mentioned, my improved power' transmission mechanismis more particularly designed for motor cycles which permit a continuousoperation of their motors. It is thus not necessary to arrest the motorwhen it is desired to stop the cycle, or to physically re-start themotor for propelling the cycle.

For uncoupling the driving wheel 11 from the motor, hand lever 63 isbrought into its If the hand lever is tilted backward in the directionof arrow B, the vehicle is propelled with full speed, while, when saidlever is tilted forward in the direction of arrow C, the vehicle ispropelled with reduced speed.

Then lever 63 is in its central position, wedge 60 is withdrawn fromclutch-shoes 61, and strap 46 embraces flange 34 but loosely, so thatthe rotation imparted to sprocket wheel 29, by chain 31, will cause acorresponding rotation of loose gear wheel 25, while sun gear 35 is heldagainst rotation through key 49, by means of which it is coupled tothenow stationary hub 10. The rotation thus imparted to planet wheel 44, bygear wheel 25, will result in a corresponding rolling of wheel 45 aroundsun gear 35, so that gear case A, will loosely turn upon wheel hubs 2736, in a direction opposite to that of sprocket wheel 29. In this wayhub 10 and wheel 11 remain stationary, while the cycle motor is free tocontinue in its operation.

If hand lever 63 is tilted backward, full speed is imparted fromsprocket wheel 29 to the vehicle, by directly coupling said wheel. todriving wheel 11. In this position of hand lever 63, strap 46 stillloosely embraces gear case A, while worm-nut 54 is, through link 57, soturned that wedge-carrier 52 is advanced toward clutch-shoes 61, againstthe action of spring ledges 60 will spread shoes 61 into contact withrotating hub 27 to which sprocket wheel 29 is secured. Movement will nowbe imparted from the latter through hub 27, clutch-shoes 61, wedged keys49 and slotted sleeve 19, to hub 10 of wheel 11. In this way wheel '11will be rotated at the same speed with which sprocket wheel 29 turns.

When hand lever 63 is brought from its backward into its forwardposition, keys 49 are withdrawn from shoes 61, thus uncoupling thelatter' from hub 27, while brakestrap 46 is simultaneously applied togear case A. In this way ease A, is held against movement, so that therotation of sprocket wheel 29 and gear wheel 25 will cause acorresponding rotation of planet wheels 44, 45, around the relativelystationary bolts 41; The movement of wheels 45 will be imparted to hub1() through sun gear 35, keys 49 and slotted sleeve 19. Owing to thedifference in diameters of gear wheels 25, 35 and planet wheels 44, 45,hub 10 will be rotated at a speed which is less than that of sprocketwheel 29, so that the desired speed reduction of the vehicle isobtained.

It will be seen that by my device eifective and reliable means areprovided for propelling a vehicle at full and reduced speed, and forpermitting the driving motor to continue in its operation when thevehicle is at rest.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described, comprising a hub having athreaded section, al threaded sleeve engaging said section, a drivinggear loosely mounted upon the sleeve, a gear case, a planet gear carriedby said case and interpolable between driving gear and sleeve, and meansfor directly coupling' the driving' gear to the sleeve.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a hub having athreaded section, a threaded sleeve engaging' said section, a gear wheelloosely mounted on the sleeve, a driving gear rigidly connected to thegear wheel, a gear case, a planet gear carried by said case andinterpolable between gear wheel and sleeve, and means for directlycoupling the gear wheel to the sleeve.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a hub having athreaded section,

'a threaded sleeve engaging said section, a

driving gear loosely mounted upon the IDW sleeve, a gear case, a planetgear carried by said case and interpolable between driving gear andsleeve, semi-circular clutch shoes intermediate driving gear and sleeve,and means carried by the sleeve for spreading the clutch shoes intocontact with the driving gear.

4. A device of the character described, comprising a hub having athreaded section, a threaded sleeve engaging said section, a drivinggear loosely mounted upon the sleeve, a gear case, a planet gear carriedby said case and interpolable between driving gear and sleeve,semi-circular clutch shoes intermediate driving gear and sleeve, a worm,a worm nut, and means for operatively conneet-ing the worm nut to theclutch shoes.

5. A device of the character described, comprising a hub having athreaded section, a threaded sleeve engaging said section, a drivinggear loosely mounted upon the sleeve, a gear case, a planet gear carriedby said case and interpolable between driving gear and sleeve,semi-circular clutch shoes intermediate driving gear and sleeve, a screwspindle centered in the hub, a worm carried by said spindle, a worm nutengaging the worm, and means for operatively connecting the worm nut tothe clutch.

G. A device of the character described, comprising a hub, a sleevesecured thereto, a driving gear rotatable on the sleeve, a locking nuthaving a neck and engaging the sleeve, a spring-iniuenced key-carrierslidable on said neck, keys secured to said carrier, means actuated bythe keys for coupling the driving gear to the sleeve, and means foroperating the key-carrier, substantially as specified.

7. A device of the character described, comprising a hub, a sleevesecured thereto, a recessed gear wheel rotatable on the sleeve, adriving-gear secured to the gear Wheel, a pair of clutch-shoes engagingthe Wheel-recess, wedged keys adapted to engage the clutch-shoes, andmeans for operating the keys, substantially as specified.

S. A device of the character described, comprising a hub, a slottedsleeve secured thereto, a gear wheel rotatable on the sleeve, a drivinggear secured to the gear wheel, a pair of clutch-shoes adapted to engagethe gear wheel, a grooved sun gear, planet wheels intermediate gearWheel and sun gear, slidable keys engaging the sleeve-slots and sun geargrooves, and means for bringing said keys into operative engagement withthe clutch-shoes, substantially as specified.

9. A device oi the character described, con'iprising a hub, a slottedsleeve secured thereto, a locking nut engaging the sleeve and having aneck, a recessed gear wheel rotatable on the sleeve, clutch-shoesadapted to engage the wheel-recess, a sun gear having a grooved hub, arotatable gear case inclosing the gea-r wheel and sun gear, planetwheels carriedA by said case and engaging gear wheel and sun gear, aspring-influenced key-carrier slidable on the neck, wedged keys securedto said carrier and engaging the sleeve-slots and sun gear grooves, andmeans for axially displacing the key-carrier to bring the key-wedgesinto operative en- (gagement with the clutch-shoes, substantially asspecified.

10. A device of the character described, comprising a hub, a sleevesecured thereto, a gear Wheel rotatable on the sleeve, a sun gear, arotatable gear case inclosing the gear wheel and sun gear, planet wheelscarried by said case and engaging the gear wheel and sun gear, abrake-strap engaging the gear case, a clutch intermediate the sleeve andgear wheel, and a hand lever operatively connected to the brake-strapand clutch, substantially as speciiied.

11. A device of the character described, comprising a hub, a pedal aXle,a driving gear rotatable thereon, a gear case, a planet gear carried bysaid case and interpolable intermediate driving gear and hub, abrakestrap encircling the gear case, a clutch for directly coupling thedriving gear to the hub, a hand lever, and means for operativelyconnecting said lever to the brake-strap and clutch, substantially asspecified.

Signed by me at Pottstown, Pennsylvania, this sixth day of November,1908.

GEO. W. SHERMAN. ltnesses JESSE R. EVANS, F. D. SHoMo. H

